


The Butcher of Komarr

by avanti_90



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Komarran, Gen, Prompt Fic, Wordcount: 500-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-15
Updated: 2015-12-15
Packaged: 2018-05-06 22:29:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5433155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avanti_90/pseuds/avanti_90
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for ricardienne's prompt: <i>Komarran AU: the (Vor)kosigans and (Vor)barras are oligarchic Komarran families.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	The Butcher of Komarr

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ricardienne (sigaloenta)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sigaloenta/gifts).



The man was waiting by the banks of the gray and choppy river, watching Gregor intently as he approached. Gregor stopped a few steps away, swallowing.  _So it is true, and I have been told lies all my life_. He could not mistake that man’s identity any more than he could mistake the features he saw every day in his mirror.  
  
“My son,” said Ser Barra, taking a step forward. His face was aged and worn, but Gregor found himself transfixed by his father’s eyes. His own eyes, but they gleamed with - anger? Hunger? They were fixed on Gregor with absolute attention, as if there was nothing else in the world. “Welcome home.”  
  
If he had heard those words a month ago, Gregor would have flung himself into this man’s arms. Now… now, after the Barrayaran files, he wasn’t sure. Not after the images he’d seen - the images that had led him to jump off that balcony, to stow away aboard that ship to Jackson’s Whole, to drag himself across the known galaxy, planet by planet, to Earth.  _Only let me know the truth, so that I need never look back._  
  
Serg’s eyes were still hungry, longing. “Aren’t you glad to see me, Gregor?” he said softly. “Or has that Vor-lover Kosigan filled your head with lies about me, too?”  
  
Gregor shook his head, unable to meet those eyes for long. “He told me nothing about you, except that you were dead. The Barrayarans told me - much more.” Told him, and when he refused to believe, showed him. Gregor could still see the terrified faces of the Barrayaran civilians gasping for their last breaths, clawing against the airlocks, begging to be allowed back inside the dome.  _The Butcher of Komarr._  
  
Serg crossed the distance between them in two quick strides. “I watched you,” he said, so softly that Gregor had to strain to hear him. “I watched you grow up, following Kosigan and his traitor’s party. I couldn’t believe a son of mine would grow up to be the Imperium’s bootlicker. But when I heard you had left his side at last - fled from the wreckage he’s made of Komarr -” He raised his hands to Gregor’s shoulders, and Gregor stilled under the unmistakably possessive touch. “I thought I might have a true son after all.”  
  
"No," Gregor had to deny that. He knew the truth of that, at least. “Not a wreckage. We have a soletta mirror in orbit now, and our fleet has grown to twice its old size, all thanks to the alliance with the Imperium. The Revolt failed, but the alliance has brought us more wealth than -”  
  
A slow smile spread across Serg’s face. “Oh? Are those his lies, then?” He leaned closer to Gregor, whispering. “Here’s the truth. Our Revolt never failed, son. It was betrayed. Kosigan, the so-called Hero of Green Park - he knew all along that the Barrayarans could out-gas the dome. He set myself and all our clan and five thousand civilians up to die that day, set the entire Revolt up to fail - all so he could take our fleet and our voting shares, and lay Komarr at the Barrayarans’ feet.”  
  
Gregor’s mouth fell open. Serg stepped forward before he could react, barely inches away, his hands clamping down hard on Gregor’s arms. “So. Who do you think the real Butcher of Komarr is, now?”  
  
Serg’s eyes were shining with triumph, and Gregor realized then, minutes too late, that the waterfront around them was empty, that the men and women in the distance were all watching Serg. He saw a stunner trained on him, and then, when he tried to move, felt a hypospray press against his arm.  
  
“But now his failure is complete,” Serg said, smiling. He raised a hand to touch Gregor’s face. “I have my son again. No more hiding for our clan, now. No more pretending to be dead. It’s time for revenge.”  
  
“Lies,” Gregor said quietly, but his eyes were falling. He tried to move, and staggered against his father.  
  
“Oh, yes,” Serg said. “You’ve grown up with a lot of lies. But you’ll soon learn to see through them.” He put his arm around Gregor’s shoulders, holding Gregor upright as he began to fall, as the Komarrans began to close around them. “As I said - welcome home, my son.”


End file.
